Lorene Scafaria: 5 Things to Know About Ashton Kutcher's New Love

When Ashton Kutcher tweeted a photo back in December on vacation in Italy with 33-year-old screenwriter Lorene Scafaria, his rep said the pair were "just friends."

Now, it seems, it's something more.

Kutcher, 34 – who split from wife Demi Moore in November – and Scafaria have been seeing each other "for quite a while," a source says in this week's issue of PEOPLE. "She is very talented, and he is impressed with her brain."

Here are five things you don't know about the new woman in the Two and a Half Men star's life:

1. She got her start writing for the big screen. The Holmdel, N.J., native adapted the screenplay for the 2005 indie romantic comedy Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist based on David Levithan and Rachel Cohn's book of the same name.

2. She has a musical streak, too.Scafaria released two albums in 2010 on iTunes: Garden Party and Laughter & Forgetting. Her original song "28" is featured in the closing credits of the 2009 Drew Barrymore film Whip It!

3. Ashton isn't her first celebrity beau.Scafaria used to date O.C. star Adam Brody, 32. The pair stepped out together last April at the Scream 4 premiere.

Lorene Scafaria and Adam Brody on Sept. 7, 2010

Landov

4. She's about to make her directorial debut.She helmed the romantic comedy Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, which is out in June and stars Steve Carell, Keira Knightley and ... Adam Brody.

5. She's a recent redhead. A longtime brunette, Scafaria showed off new strawberry locks – and playful face paint – when she hit a friend's laser tag party in L.A. on March 3. Fun new look to go with her blossoming new romance?